Clothesrack



July 7,1925.

M. L. STEARNS CLOTHESRACK Filed Jan. 2 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR:

M50 1). Sic-aims,

July 7, 1925. 1,545,072

- M. L. STEARNS v CLOTHESRACK Filed Jan. 2 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR:

[W10 L. Shams,

BY W

TTORNEYS.

Patented July 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILO STEARNS, 0F BYWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLOTHESRACK.

Application filed January 2, 1323. Serial No. 610,120.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, MILO L. STEARNS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bywood, in the township of Upper Darby, county of Delaware, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothesracks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to clothes racks, and the object is to provide a device of this character which is extremelysimple in construction, light and easily handled; and which is further characterized by its adaptability to conversion into different forms of racks for convenient placement in whatever locations are available within the confines of a small room; and by its capability of being'extended to a position for erection over a radiator or other heating device for the purpose of suspending varticles thereabove.

In addition to the foregoing this invention comprehends improvements in the details of construction and arrangement of the correlated parts of what I now believe to be the preferred embodiment of my invention from among other possible forms and arrangements embraced within the spirit thereof and the scope of the appended claims. 1

With reference to the drawings forming a part of this application, Fig. I is a view in perspective of a clothes rack constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the same in folded position convenient for storage or shipment.

Fig. II is a view of the rack in perspec tive illustrating the parts arranged in one of the extended positions of which the rack is capable.

Figs. III and IV are views in perspective of the rack with the parts extended to two other of its possible arrangements.

Fig. V is a view in transverse section of the rack in extended position to support the articles above a radiator; and

Fig. V1 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of the parts forming a joint between cooperating sections.

Proceeding to a detailed description of the device, it comprises a number of relatively movable sections which may be identified arbitrarily by the numerals 1O, 11 and 12, indicating respectively a long section, intermediate section and a short section,

utilizable and interchangeablevas legs, supports and props according to the manner medium of hinges 16, attached to the edges of the runners of both sections so as to permit relative movement of said sections to folded position in contact, movement of said sections in an opposite direction being limited by endwlse abutment of the runners, the abutting faces belng beveled to permit the disposition of said sections out of alignment-or obliquely 1n one of the operative positions of the device. The runners l5 are likewise connected by means of rungs similar to the runs 14.

The section 12 comprises a pair of short runners 17 which are pivotally connected to the runners 15 at points spaced inwardly from the hinges 16 thereof. The'connec tion is preferably established through the medium of plates 18, one of each ofwhich is rigidly secured to one of the runners 15 to project laterally therebeyond for pivotal connection at 19 to the adjacent ends of the runners 17. If desired said pivoted ends of the runners 17 may be rounded and said rounded ends faced with plates 20 to permit movement of the sections 11 and 12 without causing. undue wearing of the parts. The runners 17 are likewise connected by means. of rungs 14.

Referring to Fig I it will be noted that the sections may be folded into compact relation and parallelism for shipment or storage.

The construction described is susceptible of use where a low support is desired. This is accomplished in the manner shown in runners 18 with their opposite ends notched laterally as at 23 to receive studs 24: extending from the inner sides of the runners 15. In a similar manner braces 25 are permanently connected to the runners 17 and adapted for releasable attachment to the runners 15 by means of other studs 24 extending from the latter. The structureis thus self-sustaining and affords a rigid sup-.

port for clot-hing which may be readily' strung along the rungs of the several sections.

Where the location affords a limited area of floor surface upon which to support the rack the latter may be extended vertically to the position shown in Fig. III by moving up the section 1 from the position in Fig.

II to a position in alignment with section 11 and then again out of: alignment until'the meeting ends of the sections and 11 abut, disposing the section 10 at a slight'i nclination to the vertical when section llis up right.

The section 12 remains in its former position and functions as a prop which extends the center of gravity well beyond the upper end of the section 10, so that clothes-may be supported on all of the rungs against possibility of tipping or overbalancing the de- 7 vice. The braces 2-1, previous to adjustment of the device to this position are disengaged from the studs andreen-gagedupon other studs suitably located for the purpose.

As intimated above, the present invention is susceptible for use as a rack tobe placed adjacent a radiator-to suspend clothing thereabove. This position'ofthe device is shown in Figs. IV and V and the parts are adjusted to that position as anatural change from the position shown in Fig. III.

by merely disengaging the'braces'25' from the section 15, lifting the section 12'and reconnectingsaid braces to studs2i extending from the runners 13 at points convenient for the purpose. In this position of the parts the section 11 is extended vertically andthe sections 10 and" 12 in contiguous relation and at an angle to lean against a wall baek of the radiator. The rungs of the several sections are thus available for the support of articles in close proximity to the radiator. Thus, it will be seen that I have provided va clothes rack which, by its novel construcof said first mentioned sections with capacity for relative angular movement, and whats able braces adapted to hold the respective sections in variously adjustedpositions.

2. A rack comprising two sections each composed of side runners, means hingedly connectingtogether one end of the runners of each section with one end of the runners-of the other section in such wise as to permit relative movement of said sections from parallelism into angular relation, rungs connecting the runners of the sections, a third section composed of side runners,

means hingedly connecting one of the ends of the third section runners to the runners of one "of the first mentioned sections at points intermediate their ends, and braces pivota'lly'connected to the runners of certain sections with means for releasably connecting said braces to other sections at different points whereby the sectionsare held in dilferentrelatively adjusted positions. I

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsyl- Vania, this 28th day of December, 1922.

MILO L. STEARNS.

Witnesses JAMnsH. BELL, E. L. Fnnnrn'rox. 

